Sanitary toothpick dispenser



Jan. 30, 1940 N. SURDENIK 2,l88,304

SANITARY TOOTHPICK DISPENSER Filed May 26. 1939 INVENTOR &kho/ag rd' I I I V l I u 6 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE SANITARY TOOTHPICK DISPENSER Nicholas Surdenik, Perrington, Micl.

Application May 26, 1939, Serial No. ?75,858

4 Claims.

My invention relates to toothpick dispensing devices, and more particularly to a single delivery dispenser which dispenses but a single toothpick each time the device is operated.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to design a toothpick dispensing -device which, when actuated, will place at the disposal of the party desiring a toothpick only one toothpick at a time in a highly sanitary manner, which toothpick is not touched by others or left exposed to dust, flys and other unsanitary conditions.

Another object is to provide atoothpick dispenser of Very simple and practical design, which can be very economically manufactured and assembled, which is simple and positive in operation, which is of neat and pleasing appearance, and which effects a considerable saving in toothpicks served or placed at the disposal of customers in public places in that it dispenses but one toothpick at a time, thus eliminatng the possibility of a Customer or others taking anywhere from two to three toothpicks for placing in the pocket for future use It is well known that it is customary in restaurants, hotels and other public eatng houses to have a quantity of toothpicks placed in an open dish or receptacle so that it is imposible for the person supplying himself with one or more toothpicks, to avoid touching others which still remain in the receptacle, and it is further evident that under such conditions and practise that toothpicks cannot be kept clean and free from germs. Further, where toothpicks are thus exposed they become soiled due to dust in the atmosphere settling thereon, and I have, therefore, perfected a very simple and economical dispenser which keeps the toothpicks Strictly sanitary and which dispenses a single toothpick only each time the device is operated. v

The above and other objects will appear as the specification progresses, reference being had to the acompanying drawing in which I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views thereof.

In the drawing:

iFig. 1 is a transverse sectional side elevation with the mechanism in normal position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the mechanism in position for ejecting a toothpick.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational View of the device.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged front elevational view of the ejecting rollers.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawing in which is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the

numeral 8 indicates a housing of any desired shape and design, a hopper 9 is provided in the upper end of the housing as shown, and a cover o is hingedly connected to said housing at the point ll to facilitate placing a supply of toothpicks to be dispensed therein. A glass panel l2 forms the front wall of the hopper 9 so that the toothpicks can be seen, and this panel is mounted in channel shaped ways |3 so that it can be readily removed for cleaning, repair or for any other reason.

The housing is preferably forme-d of sheet metal, although it may be constructed of any other desired material, and includes front, back and side walls !5, !6 and ll respectively, suitably Secured together by bolts or welding and a base !8 forms a closure for the bottom of the housing and is secured in position by means of screws IS which -engage the turned corner clips 20 provided in the lower corners of the housing.

Cylindrical roller member 2! mounted in the casing, and is provided with laterally projecting pins 22 which are mounted in the side walls ll, said roller forming a closure for the lower end of the hopper. A longitudinally disposed groove or pocket 23 is provided in the face of the roller 2l, and is a size and shape to snugly accommodate one toothpick B only at a tim-e, and I wish to direct particular attention to the fact that the roller is slightly fiatted at "C" and that the one edge of this slot is formed with a slight overhang, while the opposite edge is rounded over; this fiatting and overhang prevents more than one toothpick crowding into the slot and prevents jamming, while the opposite edge facilitates easy and free ejection of the toothpick when the mechanism is operated.

/ A rolled section 24 is provided in the front of the casing directly below the glass panel |2, the upper end being disposed in close relation with the rollers 2l to provide a close running fit, and prevent more than one toothpick being carried in the groove 23. An opening 25 is provided directly below the section 24, and the upper end of the front wall of the casing being horizontally disposed as at 26 and for a purpose to be presently described.

A spring retracted member 21 is pivotally mounted in the side walls of the housing directly adjacent the lower end thereof, a gear segment 28 being provided thereon, the teeth meshing with is revolvably the teeth 29 provided on the roller member ZI. The upper end of the member 21 terminates in a pair of spaced downwardly inclined arms 30, which project through the opening 25, the extreme ends being rollecl as at 3l to form a stop and support for the toothpick as it is discharged from the roller, and when this member 21 is in normal position the upper end thereof forms a closure for the opening 25.

An Operating lever 32 is pivotally mounted on ears 33 provided on the front wall of the casing by means of the pin 34, the inner end of said lever' being cam shaped as at 35 to engage the face of the member 21, the outer end being shaped to form a thumb rest 36 for operation of the device.

A spring 31 serves to force the member 21 back to original position, the arms 30 of said member simultaneously projecting the toothpck forwardly so that it can be easily removed. by the customer.

The hopper can be easily and quickly loaded by raising the cover ill, and the entire Operating mechanism is made up of a minimum number of parts all of sturdy Construction so that there will be` a minimum of wear, repair or replacement.

In operation the Customer depresses the thumb rest 36, the cam 35 forces the member 21 in- Wardly until its upper edge engages the outer periphery of the roller ZI, the gear segment 28 simultaneously actuating the roller ZI so that the toothpick carried in the groove 23 is discharged onto the arms 30 and rolls downwardly and against the stops SI, and when the lever is released, the spring 31 forces the member back to original position,'the arms 3! also moving outwardly so that the toothpick can be easily removed.

From the foregoing description, it will be clearly obvious that I have. perfected a Very simple, practical and eificient toothpick dispensing device comp osed of very few parts, all of rugged construction, and which positively ejects but one toothpick each time the Operating lever isdepressed.

What I claim is: v

1. A dispensing device comprising a housing, a hopper, a: roller revolvably mounted in said housing and forming the bottom of said hopper, a longitudinally disposed groove in said roller and adapted to acoommodate the article tobe dispensed, gear teeth on the roller, a spring retracted toothed quadrant, pivotally mounted in the housing and including inclined outwardly projecting ways, and a manually actuated cam lever pivotally mounted in said housing with its inner end frictionally engaging said quadrant member for actuating said roller when the cam lever is depressed.

2. A dispensing device comprising a housing including a hopper, a roller revolvably mounted in said housing and forming the bottom of said hopper, a longitudinally disposed groove in said roller, one edge overhanging the groove with the opposite edge rounded to facilitate ejection of the article being dispensed, teeth 'ormed on said roller, a spring retracted quadrant pivotally mounted in the housing and including spaced apart downwarclly inclined ways, an Operating lever pivotally mounted in the housing with its inner end shaped to form a cam for frictionally engaging said quadrant member, said lever actuating said quadrant and roller to eject the article in the slot onto said ways when the Operating lever is depressed.

3. A toothpick dispensing device comprising a housing including a hopper, a roller member journaled in said housing and. forming a closure for the lower end of the hopper, a longitudinally disposed slot in said roller and adapted to accommodate a single toothpick, teeth formed on said roller, a combination spring retracted toothed quadrant, and toothpick carrying tracks' pivotally mounted in said housing and having toothed ena gagement with said roller, a cam shaped operating lever pivotally mounted in the housing and frictionally engaging said quadrant, said quadrant actuating said. roller to eject a toothpick onto said tracks when the Operating lever is depressed.

4. A toothpick dispensing device comprising a housing including a hopper, a roller revolvably mounted in said housing and forming the bottom of said hopper, a longitudinally disposed groove NICHOLAS SURDENIK. 

